ASSURE Act
- Sponsor
- Rep. Olszewski, Johnny [D-MD-2]
- Committees
- Committee on House Administration (primary)
- Last action
- Oct 13, 2026
Bottom line
The bill aims to leverage federal agency touchpoints and resources to expand voter access and participation across several key demographics and contexts.
What it actually does
This bill directs various federal agencies to evaluate and implement strategies to promote voter registration and participation, including providing information, facilitating access to registration services, and modernizing federal voting websites. It also mandates specific actions for military and overseas voters, individuals in federal custody, and establishes a steering group for Native American voting rights. Additionally, it allows nonprofit organizations to provide voter registration at naturalization ceremonies.
Proponents argue
Proponents argue that this bill is a crucial step to enhance democratic participation by making voter registration and voting more accessible, especially for underserved communities, military personnel, and those with disabilities. They contend that federal agencies, with their broad reach, are uniquely positioned to assist in this effort, ensuring that all eligible citizens can exercise their right to vote without undue barriers.
Opponents contend
Opponents might contend that this bill represents an overreach of federal authority into election administration, which is traditionally a state responsibility. They may argue that it could lead to increased administrative burdens and costs for federal agencies, potentially compromise election integrity by expanding access without sufficient safeguards, or introduce partisan activities into federal operations.
The bill is relatively short and clearly structured, making it accessible for an informed reader to understand its core provisions within a reasonable timeframe.
Section 2
Agency Promotion of Voter Registration and Participation
This section directs the head of each appropriate federal agency to evaluate and plan ways to promote voter registration and participation. This includes providing information on how to register and vote through agency materials, websites, and social media, facilitating links to state online voter registration systems, and offering voter registration services at public engagement points. It also requires agencies to consider issuing identity documents that satisfy state voter ID laws and mandates a strategic plan to be submitted to the President and Congress.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue this provision leverages existing federal infrastructure to reach a wider audience, simplifying the voter registration process and increasing participation by making information readily available where citizens already interact with the government.
Critics contend
Critics may argue this constitutes an unnecessary expansion of federal government's role into election matters, potentially diverting agency resources from their primary missions and raising concerns about partisan activities within federal operations.
Tradeoffs
The provision balances the goal of increased voter access with potential concerns about federal overreach and the administrative burden on agencies, as well as the need to maintain non-partisanship in government functions.
Section 3
National Voter Registration Act Agency Designation
This section requires federal agencies, to the greatest extent practicable, to agree to be designated as voter registration agencies under the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 (NVRA) if requested by a state. If an agency declines, its head must provide a written explanation to the President and Congress. Agencies are also directed to proactively notify states of their willingness to be designated.
Section 4
Modernization of Vote.gov
This section directs the Administrator of the General Services Administration (GSA) to modernize and improve the user experience of Vote.gov. This modernization must ensure compliance with accessibility standards for individuals with disabilities (Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act) and require translation into all languages spoken by language minority groups as defined by the Voting Rights Act. GSA must also submit a strategic plan for these improvements.
Section 5
Voting Opportunities for Federal Employees
This section directs the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to coordinate with executive agencies to provide recommendations to the President on strategies to expand federal employees' time off for voting (including early voting) and to better support federal employees who wish to volunteer as nonpartisan poll workers or observers, especially during extended voting periods.
Section 6
Equal Access for Voters with Disabilities
This section requires the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to publish, within 270 days, steps needed to ensure Vote.gov is accessible to people with disabilities. Additionally, NIST must publish recommendations, developed in consultation with the Department of Justice and the Election Assistance Commission, regarding barriers to private and independent voting for people with disabilities, covering aspects like voter registration, voting technology, vote-by-mail, polling locations, and poll worker training.
Section 7
Voting for Active Duty Military and Overseas Citizens
This section mandates the Secretary of Defense to establish annual procedures to affirmatively offer active duty military members the opportunity to register to vote, update registration, or request an absentee ballot, and to evaluate an online system for these services. It also requires the Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Department of State, Military Postal Service Agency, and USPS, to establish an end-to-end ballot tracking system for military and overseas voters. Furthermore, agencies with employees stationed abroad must designate a coordinator for the Federal Voting Assistance Program.
Section 8
Voter Registration for Eligible Individuals in Federal Custody
This section directs the Attorney General to establish procedures for the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to provide educational materials on voter registration and voting, and to facilitate voter registration for eligible individuals in federal custody. These materials must be part of reentry planning and inform individuals about state-specific voting restrictions and when they are lifted. The Attorney General must also ensure the U.S. Marshals Service includes voter registration and voting facilitation requirements in jail contracts and coordinate with the Probation and Pretrial Services Office to provide similar materials and facilitation.
Section 9
Native American Voting Rights Steering Group
This section establishes an Interagency Steering Group on Native American Voting Rights, coordinated by the Domestic Policy Council and chaired by the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy, with members including the Attorney General and Secretaries of Interior, Agriculture, Labor, Health and Human Services, and Veterans Affairs. The group is tasked with engaging in meaningful consultation with Tribal Nations and Native leaders. Within one year, it must publish a report outlining best practices and recommendations for protecting Native American voting rights, including increasing outreach, access, language assistance, mitigating internet issues, facilitating Tribal ID use, and fostering collaboration.
Section 10
Nongovernmental Organizations at Naturalization Ceremonies
This section directs the Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to permit covered nonprofit organizations to provide voter registration applications and general voting information to new United States citizens at administrative naturalization ceremonies. A 'covered nonprofit organization' is defined as a 501(c) organization that commits to not participating in any political activity, partisan or otherwise, during these ceremonies or while providing services on agency premises.
The definition of 'agency' for the purposes of this Act explicitly excludes any 'independent regulatory agency' as defined in section 3502 of title 44, United States Code.
Section 11(1)
Why it matters:This is standard legislative practice to define the scope of applicability for terms used throughout the bill, rather than repeating the exclusion in every section. It clarifies which federal entities are subject to the bill's directives.
Case for: Supporters would argue that this exclusion appropriately limits the bill's scope to executive agencies, where the President has direct authority, avoiding potential constitutional or practical conflicts with independent regulatory bodies.
Case against: Critics might argue that excluding independent regulatory agencies misses opportunities to expand voter access through their public-facing services, potentially limiting the overall impact of the bill.
Estimated impact: This exclusion significantly narrows the universe of federal entities subject to the bill's mandates, impacting the overall reach of voter registration and participation efforts.
The definition of 'covered nonprofit organization' for naturalization ceremonies requires the organization to be a 501(c) tax-exempt entity and to commit to not participating in any political activity, partisan or otherwise, at the ceremony or on agency premises.
Section 11(2)
Why it matters:This is standard practice for defining eligibility criteria for organizations interacting with federal services, ensuring clarity and preventing misuse. It is a safeguard.
Case for: Proponents would highlight this as a critical safeguard to ensure that voter registration efforts at federal sites, especially naturalization ceremonies, remain strictly non-partisan and focused solely on civic engagement, preventing any perception of political bias.
Case against: Some might argue that the 'no political activity, partisan or otherwise' clause could be interpreted too broadly, potentially stifling even general civic education that might touch upon policy issues, or that it places an undue burden on nonprofits.
Estimated impact: This definition ensures that any voter registration activities conducted by nonprofits under this bill are strictly non-partisan, impacting the nature and scope of their engagement.
The Attorney General shall establish procedures to ensure the United States Marshals Service includes language in intergovernmental agreements and jail contracts to require jails to provide educational materials related to voter registration and voting, and to facilitate voting by mail, to the extent practicable and appropriate.
Section 8(b)(1)
Why it matters:This is a common legislative technique to implement policy through existing contractual relationships, rather than issuing direct mandates to non-federal entities, which can be legally complex. It leverages federal leverage.
Case for: Supporters would argue this is an effective way to extend voter access to eligible individuals held in local facilities under federal contracts, ensuring continuity of civic rights even when individuals are not in direct federal custody.
Case against: Local jails and their associations might express concerns about unfunded mandates or the administrative burden of implementing these requirements, even if included in contracts, potentially leading to increased costs for local governments.
Estimated impact: This provision could significantly expand voter education and facilitation to a large population of eligible individuals housed in local jails under federal contracts, potentially affecting thousands.